Made to heal
by rainbowbrite84
Summary: His Ginny was being abused! He was getting his chance now, he knew. He’d have to play his cards very carefully. His angel needed protecting, and he was just the one to do it. But first he had to regain his angel’s trust... UPDATED Finally.
1. Out of the darkness, into his light

Pain, black pain was all he could feel. That and the deep void within himself. He fluttered to consciousness once more to feel his bindings around him. He was trapped. A prisoner in his own creation. He'd gotten out once. But the Potter boy had sealed his fate when he'd stabbed him with the basilisk fang. Now he was trapped in a damaged book that had been thrown away. According to his estimations he'd been trapped for at least five years. He should've been insane now; the pain and the void inside of him should have taken his last shred of sanity.  
  
But he still hung on. One picture in his mind kept him going. A girl with hair like fire, so innocent and pure. He'd destroyed that innocence, and for some reason he'd felt regret for the first time. Not just a twinge either, but a deep tearing regret. Why should he feel for her so? She was a Weasley, from a family of mudblood lovers.  
  
Even as he said the word mudblood he felt a stirring in his mind. Tom knew what he'd grown into, but inside his prison, he hadn't attained the level of hate that had consumed his older self. On some level he knew muggles weren't terrible. Sure, a few were, but that could be said anywhere. That was why he thought of Ginny. She had been the light to his darkness. For fifty years he'd remained in the diary, his hate left to fester. He came close to his older self, but he hadn't planned on the effect Ginny would have on him.  
  
She had been a thread of golden light, of hope that managed to cut through his darkness. And he'd nearly killed it. When he'd finally controlled her and had taken her to the Chamber of Secrets, he was torn in two. On one level, he knew he was doing what he'd been programmed to do. Kill her and Potter. But on another, deeper level, he screamed objection in his mind. Perhaps that was why he'd let Fawkes heal Potter. He knew deep inside what the phoenix would do, and he allowed it to happen. He allowed himself to be destroyed in order to save Ginny. For to let her die would be the greatest tragedy to befall this world.  
  
But he hadn't died. He awoke months later, still trapped in the ruined diary, but he was no longer driven by the all-consuming rage that had controlled his actions all his life. He no longer felt to need to revenge himself on all muggles. He still had many dislikes about him, but years of thinking had mitigated his emotions. The only one he felt now was regret. He would never see his fiery angel again. He would never be able to apologize, to make up for all the damage he'd done. Never able to stand up to his other self. If only he had another chance! He'd show her that she was his world, his sun, his stars, the very air he breathed! He could fix things or at least die trying. He could reclaim his soul.  
  
He sent a silent, soulful plea up to the heavens, not knowing why he did. He'd never been answered before. But something was different this time. Whether the powers that be had just taken notice of him, or if maybe, just maybe his heart had finally been ready, they gave him an answer.  
  
"Hey, I think I found it Colin!" The sandy-haired boy looked up at his friend. He and Dean had been searching for Tom Riddle's diary for weeks now it seemed. It seemed like something to give to Ginny. Maybe they'd get a reaction out of her. It was fun to leer at her. Sure Potter and his two tagalongs stood up for her, and so did the most of the seventh years, but they couldn't do anything to stop the rest of them when they were absent. He laughed to himself, remembering last week when someone had rigged Ginny's prefect room. Specifically the door, it had been set to dump an assortment of animal insides on her when she opened it. The resounding shriek had been priceless.  
  
She'd run down the hall, blood dripping from her brand new robes as she tried to reach the bathroom. One of the fifth years had reached her foot out and tripped the girl and she'd fallen flat on her face. Another girl sat on her, taunting her. It had gone on for a few more minutes when Professor McGonagall had rounded the corner having heard Ginny's cries. Needless to say they had all been given a week's detention, but it was worth it.  
  
"Say, Colin, what do you think she'll do when this mysteriously turns up in her room?" Colin laughed and mimicked a high-pitched shrieking. "Just remember, we'll have to put a snake in her room, make her think Riddle is back." The two boys jauntily walked back to the castle to carry out their newest plan of abuse.  
  
Tom, inside of his diary heard of their plan and was trying to get out at the moment to rip their heads off. His Ginny was being abused! He was getting his chance now, he knew. He'd have to play his cards very carefully. His angel needed protecting, and he was just the one to do it. But first he had to regain his angel's trust. He had to win her heart.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ginny crept back up to her prefect's room, trying to avoid anyone in the halls as well as trying to check and see if anything looked amiss. Her shoulders were hunched over, her head bent down. One would think that such a posture would be extremely painful after some time, but to Ginny, she didn't know how to carry herself any other way. Years of taunts and abuse accustomed her to it. She looked like a cornered animal most of the time.  
  
She opened her door and was met with another shower, though this time it was only cold water. She sighed and shut her door. She really needed to figure out a locking charm to keep the others out. She turned to her bed and proceeded to change out of her now wet clothes. Her room had books and scrolls lining the shelves and floor. It was almost as bad as Hermione's room. Studying was all she had to keep herself together, and she had top marks in her class. Changing into a set of handed down clothes she studied herself in the mirror. She vaguely remembered herself when she first came to Hogwarts. A far cry from this. Where her eyes used to be bright and clear, warm and inviting, they were now hollow and haunted, cowered with endless depths of depression. Dark purple rings were permanently seen under them. Her hair, once vibrant and shiny now looked limp and dull. Her rosy, slightly flushed skin was now a deathly shade of pale. Her skinny body was painfully obvious, the result of not being able to eat half her food due to her classmates pranks and not wanting to eat the rest.  
  
All in all she resembled a walking corpse, someone simply waiting for death to take them away and let them leave their horrid life behind. She sighed and walked back to her bed to sit down. Something hard and unyielding prodded her and she stood up puzzled. Drawing back the covers, she let out a shrill scream and fainted. Tom Riddle's diary was on her bed.  
  
She awoke to find herself tucked under the covers, her sleeping robe on. The fireplace in her room had been lit. Her discarded robes were now dry and clean, hanging in the corner. She wistfully thought of her new robes, now ruined. She'd saved for months to buy them and they were gone in less than a day. Shaking from the memory, she suddenly remembered why she'd fainted in the first place. She bolted upright in the bed and scanned the room. She didn't see any sign of the diary and she wondered if she'd hallucinated it.  
  
How did she get in bed then? She carefully pulled the covers back and clasped her hands to her mouth. The diary was on the floor. And it was open, with a message on it. With shaking hands, she snapped it up and ran over to the fireplace, intent on burning the object that had ruined her life. She paused, her hands directly over the flame. She wanted to burn it, but she couldn't. Something held her back. Why should she let this thing stay here? This diary that had been the worst thing to ever happen to her.  
  
Her hands dipped too low and came in contact with the flame. She jerked them back and the book landed back near her bed. She cradled the backs of her hands to her, trying to stop the burning. Then the book flipped open and a message appeared on the page, forming around the hole in the center. Trembling, she leaned over and read it.  
  
"Put your hands on me."  
  
Oh God, Tom was still alive. She should just kill herself now. Wait a minute, did he think she was stupid? Like hell, she'd touch that diary. She waited, trying to decide what to do. The pages of the diary fluttered and the message disappeared to be replaced by a new one.  
  
"Put your hands on my pages so I can heal them, they must be hurting."  
  
Ginny thought she must be mad to obey, but her hands hurt so badly and it had been so long since anyone expressed concern for her. She sighed. "What the hell, might as well, my life can't really get any worse."  
  
She placed her hands on the book and felt an odd tingling sensation. It wasn't painful, far from it actually. It felt rather pleasurable and she felt safe for some reason. She hadn't felt safe for a long time. She watched as the burns on her hands slowly healed over, when it was done she pulled them away.  
  
"Do they feel better now?"  
  
Ginny stood up and reached for a quill from her desk.  
  
"Yes, they do. Why did you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Heal my hands. If you don't recall, last time I had you, you were about to kill me. Why are you here?"  
  
Tom was jumping up and down. Ginny was writing to him. After she'd fainted, he focused his power and managed to get her into bed. For some reason, he wasn't powerless like he was last time. He could see too, and that overjoyed him. Except for looking at his angel. She looked so pale and sad and haunted. He would personally make everyone of her tormentors pay for what they'd done.  
  
"To fix the mess of things I left behind angel."  
  
"You're about five years too late for that Tom."  
  
"It's never too late to amend one's past and redeem themselves. You told me that Ginny, you told me you believed that I still had a shred of goodness left in me. I do angel, I do. Let me prove it to you. Let me take care of you."  
  
"Oh no you don't, this is going no where good very fast. I won't let you use me again."  
  
"Ginny, give me a chance. I'd never dream of hurting you, I'd tear my heart out first."  
  
"Why are you being so melodramatic Tom? I don't think it suits you very well."  
  
"I'm merely being passionate about taking care of you angel. It's obvious no one else has."  
  
"ARGH! Tom, stop this! I bet they rigged you or something. I hate pity. Why can't they just leave me alone?! Why are you doing this? Why am I so important? I'm just a whiny schoolgirl remember?"  
  
She waited for the next reply for sometime and was almost ready to shut the diary, thinking he wasn't going to answer.  
  
"I don't pity you angel. I want to take care of you. I used you and nearly destroyed you, and for that there is no excuse and no apology will ever make up for it. But, I can help you now, I can repay you for helping me. Ginny, I was lost to hate until you started writing in me, you are my light and my very life. You taught me how to love again. Except now, through my actions, you have forgotten how yourself, you have forgotten how to live. I want to see you happy again angel, I miss seeing you smile. Please, give me a chance. One week is all I ask. If you still want to get rid of me after that, you may. I hope you won't."  
  
"I must be crazy, but ok. The first time I think something is up however, and you're going back to the fire. And what did you call me?"  
  
"Angel. My fiery angel. Now, let's get started shall we? First things first. Your hair."  
  
"What about my hair?  
  
"Let me fix it."  
  
Ginny cocked an eyebrow up.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Let me out of the diary, before you say no, I promise I won't do anything. Just place your hands on the book and concentrate on the picture of me being in front of you."  
  
"Now I know I'm crazy. I suppose when I let you out and you kill me, you'll at least kill the rest of the rotten bunch here too." With that she placed her hands on the diary and did as Tom asked.  
  
Then she watched in horror as the diary turned to dust and Tom materialized in front of her. Now he couldn't go back into the diary. What had she done?!  
  
Tom shook his head slightly, suddenly leaving his prison disoriented him. He glanced towards Ginny and saw that she had a look of sheer terror on her face.  
  
Ginny braced herself and screwed her eyes shut. Nothing happened and she wondered if Tom was toying with her. She waited for the words Avada Kedavra, but they never came. Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm, strong arms engulf her slender body and they hugged her to them. Tom was giving her a hug? Lord Voldemort was giving her a hug?! She struggled against him, but his right hand guided her head to his shoulder and he clasped her to his solid chest. She didn't know why she chose at that moment to burst out into tears, but they came in torrents and her sobbing filled the room. It had been so long since someone had done this. 


	2. And the plot starts to thicken

He cradled the crying girl closer to him, as though through his arms, he could shelter her from the rest of the world. Her sobs were heart- rending, and he wished he could do something to take her anguish from her. But alas, there was nothing he could do but hold and comfort her. He bent his head down and pressed his lips against the top of her head in a gentle kiss.  
  
Eventually, Ginny's outburst drew to a close and she sat back and wiped her sleeve against her nose in a rather un-ladylike fashion. She tried to wipe the remnants of her tears off with the backs of her hands. Realizing she had made a fool out of herself, in front of the Dark Lord no less, he lowered her head and suddenly found the floor to be fascinating. A blush crept to her cheeks and she braced herself for his reaction. To her surprise, he brought his fingers under her chin and tilted her head back up. Gently, he wiped away the tears that still fell from her eyes.  
  
"Ah, angel, what have they done to you? No matter, it shall not happen again. I'll see to that. Do you feel better now?"  
  
Ginny's head was slightly reeling. Tom was still before her, gentleness still shining in his eyes. Was he really different from what he was? His actions seemed to say that he was, but she remembered that he was quite capable of trickery. How did she know this wasn't just an act? A part of her that she thought had died a long time ago reawakened from its long slumber and spoke in her mind. 'Trust him', it seemed to say. She cocked her head to the side in wonderment. She still had trust left in her? Funny, she thought that had perished long ago. Could she trust him? More over, could she stand it if she did trust him, and he broke that trust? She'd surely die this time.  
  
'But what is the point in living if you can't love or trust another?' her mind said. Good point. She hadn't really been living. She was just a shell, something that wondered from day to day simply existing in a void. She couldn't really remember the last time she laughed or smiled. Giving in, she decided to try and trust one more time. If it didn't work out, she could always throw herself from the Astronomy Tower.  
  
"You've got one week Tom. Please don't blow it; I don't think I could take it if you did. How will you stay here without anyone noticing you?"  
  
Tom hugged her to him again, deciding that he could quite comfortably spend the rest of his life with her in his embrace. "Simple, I'll re- register myself. It isn't that hard. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. Speaking of tricks, you need a better lock on your door. It didn't even take an Alohamora to open your door. Try this," he said, as he waived his wand in a pattern that Ginny hadn't seen before. "Lochevius Restornum." The door slammed shut and Ginny heard several clicking sounds. Looking up, she saw what appeared to be lions pacing around the door, and red and gold bands had worked into the wood and were acting as barriers. "They'll get a nasty surprise if they ever manage to get through your door again. Don't worry, they won't hurt you," he told her, putting his wand back in his robes.  
  
"How will you get registered? Won't you need to be resorted? If you do, you'll go back into Slytherin won't you?" Tom winked at her, a sly grin appearing on his face. "Oh, I have my ways," he replied, then sobered. "There is absolutely no way I will allow you to fend for yourself in Gryffindor, one way or another, I'm going to be wearing red and gold. Ginny's mouth formed an O in surprise. Tom Riddle, was going to become a Gryffindor for her? He hated Gryffindors.  
  
Tom interrupted her chain of thought by lifting her up in his arms. "Since it's almost morning, what say you to getting ready for breakfast? Remember, I still get to fix you up." If possible, Ginny's face became paler than it already was. Tom Riddle hugging her was one thing, but having him do her hair and put make up on her was too much. She managed to stumble her way into the hall and to the bathroom. By the time she had finished showering, most of the other students were arriving. A few of them had that glint in their eyes, as though they were planning something. Her stomach immediately tightened into a knot and her forehead broke out in a cold sweat. She'd have to be on the lookout the rest of the day. She finished up and hurried back to her room before anyone got a chance to bother her.  
  
Tom looked up as his angel ran back into the room. Something was wrong, he could sense it. He stood and went to her, and she flung herself at him. A part of him was giddy, she'd initiated the contact this time, maybe she was starting to trust him. "What happened?"  
  
"I was leaving to bathroom when the other girls started filing in. Some of them were staring at me funny. You know that look a shark gets when it sees its prey. There going to do something, I can tell." Tom tightened his hold on her slender frame as his mind became clouded with anger. No one would hurt his angel!  
  
"They won't touch you, I promise. I'll take care of it. Now, let me fix you up, you've got an entrance to make." Why did Ginny feel as though she was Cinderella all of the sudden? Tom said he'd protect her. she'd see how that worked out. But then he came towards her with his wand and a bottle of purple goop she backed away.  
  
"What? Don't you think I can do hair?" Ginny shook her head. "Well, it just so happens that I can. You don't spend a few years in an orphanage without learning a few things," he said, winking at her. "Let's get started shall we?"  
  
30 minutes later.  
  
Tom finished putting lip gloss on her and enchanted it so it wouldn't come off when she ate. "There we go, all done now." He brought up a mirror to her and Ginny screamed. He immediately took her hands in his. "What's wrong angel? What did I do? I can change it back!" She shook her head, and brought the mirror closer. She seemed to do a great deal of inspection. "This-This is me?" Her hair had been cut to just below shoulder length, and whatever Tom had put in it had made it full and bouncy again. Her face no longer looked sallow and sickly. She seemed to have a tan almost and whatever he'd done to her eyes had improved them a great deal. She could still see sorrow in them, but she didn't look like she was about to cry constantly. Her pale lips were now a shiny shade of pink. She looked.pretty. "Tom, how did you do this? I don't look like this, I never have." She looked downward, embarrassment ripping into her.  
  
"Angel, you've always been beautiful, it's just that no one ever gave you the chance. Come now, finished getting dressed so I can escort the most beautiful lady in the world to breakfast. I'll get sorted later today."  
  
Soon, Ginny was ready to go to the Great Hall. Tom walked for both of them, as Ginny tried to stop and turn around at least five times. The knot in her stomach had tightened painfully and was excruciating as the finally reached to wood double doors. She took a deep breath and held it as Tom squeezed her hand in assurance and opened the doors. 


	3. And a phoenix shall rise out of the ashe...

At first nothing happened. There where no daggers thrown at her, no one booed or hissed. For the most part, the students were used to the doors opening at random during mealtime. Tom started pulling her to the Gryffindor table and she followed behind him, shuffling her feet, waiting for their reaction. Her vision started to go black around the edges before she remembered to breathe.  
  
When they'd passed a good third of the table, she started to become aware of students staring at her. She heard little snippets of conversations drift through to her.  
  
"Who's the new girl?"  
  
"Damn, she's hot!"  
  
"How'd a slut like that."  
  
"Get a guy like him?"  
  
Her ears turned pink and she blushed from her chin all the way up to the roots of her already red hair. Seamus Finnegan winked at her as she passed him, only to receive a glare from Tom. Colin Creevey jumped out of his seat and shoved his friend Dean down. "Excuse me; I don't believe we've met before. Would you give me the pleasure of getting to know you? You can sit by me at breakfast, lunch or dinner."  
  
Ginny wanted to slap him. Then she wanted to hug Tom. They didn't realize who she was! And Colin, the slimy git, thought she was hot. She wouldn't give him the pleasure of acknowledgement. A warm, bubbly feeling started in her stomach, and for once, she brought her chin up on her own. She led Tom down to where her brother was sitting and said good morning to him, as had been their custom for the past years. She noticed Tom fidget when he got close to Harry, but the other boy didn't seem to bat an eyelash. Could it be that Harry didn't recognize him?  
  
Ron gaped back at her, his mouth not working for once. Hermione noticed his befuddlement and looked towards Ginny. She gasped and her eyes widened. Ron beat her to the phrase she was thinking. "GINNY?!"  
  
Pandemonium erupted after that. Students suddenly swiveled their heads from every table and gawked at her. She heard some of the girls shriek and then declare how she looked like a turkey that had stuffed a feather duster on it and was trying to pass for a peacock. A few, most of whom she did not recognize, told her she looked good. In spite of their compliments, she could only seem to hear the insults thrown her way. She tried to turn around and run back to her room, but Tom held her steadfast.  
  
"You bloody git, what where you thinking? Now look what you've done! You've got to ruin everything for your sister don't you?" Tom was almost screaming at her brother. She didn't blame Ron, the other girls were right. She must look hideous. She reached up and touched Tom's face. "Tom, I'm not hungry anymore. Let's just go, please?" His eyes darkened and he finally loosened his hold on her. She tried to cover her ears with her hands, but he kept them firmly held in his own. She wanted to die; she'd never been so humiliated. Tears started to leak from the corners of her eyes and her shoulders drew up around her once more and her head seemed to bend down at an impossible angle.  
  
Suddenly, Colin sprang into view, his face red and livid. "You little whore! You lying, little whore. What did you think you were trying to pull? You're nothing, do you hear me? Nothing!" He raised his hand to slap her, but was stopped by Tom. He guided Ginny's trembling form behind him and stood to his full height. His eyes were almost black, they held such menace. Every fiber of his being exuded the air of a predator. He held Colin's hand in his own and was slowly squeezing, feeling the smaller boy's bones start to grind together.  
  
"Didn't your mother teach you to never hit a lady? You're a pathetic cretin and I shall have no qualms about hurting you if you EVER approach Ginny in a negative manner again. Wait, I've changed my mind. If she so much as gets a hang nail during the rest of her time at Hogwarts, I'll hex you into oblivion. Do you understand me?" Colin cringed as his hand was squeezed even harder. "Do you understand me?!" This time Tom yelled his question. Colin managed to squeak out a yes and Tom threw him against the table. With that, he grabbed Ginny's arm and stormed out of the Great Hall.  
  
By the time they got back to her room, she was fully sobbing and hitting Tom alternately. "Why'd you make me go? I told you what would happen! You never listen! Now I'll be the butt of jokes all day and I'll be lucky if I make back to my room in one piece." Tom let her beat on his chest as she let her pain out. Finally, he stopped her by holding either fist in his hands. "Ginny, look at me. No, look at ME," he said as she slowly raised her head to meet his eyes. "You are NONE of those thing they called you. You're a very pretty young woman with a kind heart. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I refuse to let them treat you like you're nothing. You are not 'nothing' Ginny Weasley. You're everything, especially to me, and I will not let them make you think otherwise. Hold your head up, you shouldn't look down at anyone, much less the scum out there."  
  
Ginny managed a shaky laugh and Tom finished wiping the tears from her face. "I've got to go meet Dumbledore now and convince him I'm an exchange student from Durmstrang. Do you want me to walk you to your first class before I do?" Ginny took a deep breath and stood up a little straighter than she had before. "Yeah, I'd like that." Tom kissed her briefly on her forehead and offered his arm out to her. She took it, and together they walked out of the room.  
  
  
  
A/N Ok, since I received 30 replies for two chapters (that's a record for me) I suppose I should thank my reviewers. BTW, sorry this chapter was shorter than the last two; I promise the next one will be longer. One more thing, I'll be updating ever Tuesday, that way you lot aren't wondering if I will ever update. Any who, on with my thank you list  
  
Aurora Noctifer- my 2 longest reviews. :) I must warn you though, I'm notorious about leaving cliffhangers and creating plot twists. I hope you still have fun though. I'll write more I promise, please don't hurt me. Elven sapphire- you think I will? So far I haven't, but I'm glad you liked it. Magicks- what makes you think they aren't homicidal? ;) j/k Robbie Doobie Doo Dah- lol, nice name, thanks for the compliment Hermia LaFaye- glad you're changing your mind to read my story Bane- glad ya liked it; you gave me two reviews too. *tear* I'm getting multiple reviews from the reviewers. Did that make sense? As for the rest of y'all, I'll do more thanking in the next chapter. 


	4. In which things seem out of sorts

As Ginny walked into the dungeon that housed the most notorious class in all of Hogwarts, she scanned the room, looking for an empty seat in toward the back. Hopefully some of the nastier students would pass by her without noticing her. She clutched at her potions essay, wanting to assure herself that the paper she had so meticulously written would not be stolen. To her dismay, students had already filled the back rows. The only seats left were in the front. With her year mates.   
  
She felt the tears spring up in her eyes and she tried to push them back down. She wouldn't let them see her like this. That would mean that they had won. She jolted slightly. Since when did she care if they won, hadn't she resigned herself to this for another two years? Tom's influence must have affected her. She saw the sixth year Slytherins walk into the room and shove a number of fifth year Gryffindors out of seats. Her class had been combined with the sixth years due to Professor Snape's suddenly 'harried' schedule. He had been slipping in and out of the school ground frequently, and there was a rumor going around the school that the black-haired man was really a spy for Voldemort. Ginny refused to believe it, she simply couldn't picture the man working for someone so evil. She continuously broke Gryffindor cardinal rule number one: All Gryffindors must hate Snape. She couldn't help it, Snape was one of the Professors that had taken to watching her in the halls when the abuse had started.  
  
Ginny felt a wadded up ball of parchment hit her in the back of the head and she turned around, hearing someone say "Peacock" under their breath. Resigning herself to another day of abuse, Ginny turned to walk up to the front row. Suddenly she felt a heavy hand on her should and whirled around to find herself face to face with Draco Malfoy. Her stomach dropped out of her body and her eyes widened in fear. She cringed, expecting the worst.   
  
"Come over here and sit with us, they won't bother you again." Ginny thought she was hearing things. Was Draco Malfoy, sworn Weasley hater, asking her to sit with the Slytherins? The next thing she knew, she was being guided by Draco to a seat next to the other sixth years. "I believe you know Crabbe and Goyle, they've volunteered to escort you to your next class." Before Ginny could register what was just said, Draco whirled around, his wand raised and pointed at a certain fifth year Gryffindor. Felicia Huffstutter. Draco muttered something under his breath and a purple light shot forth. When the smoke cleared, Felicia seemed to have grown a rather impressive set of donkey ears.   
  
Felicia opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out was a donkey's braying. Snape, hearing the commotion, lifted his head up from a stack of third year essays his was writing on with great quantities of red ink. "What is the cause of this interruption?"   
  
Snape stood and walked to Felicia who was braying furiously and pointed to Draco. Her friend spoke up. "Draco used his wand and put a hex on her Professor!" Snape glared at the girl and she immediately became quiet. He studied the crying, braying Gryffindor and smiled. "Looks to be a remarkable improvement Huffstutter. When class is over, you may go to Madame Pomfrey to beg her to help. But since you deemed it fit to interrupt my class, I will take ten points from Gryffindor. And since your friend spoke out of turn, I will take off another fifteen. And, Miss Huffstutter, since you threw an object at another student in a room full of potentially volatile substances, I am giving you a week's worth of detention with Mr. Filch. Any arguments and I will make sure you have detention during the next Hogsmeade trip as well."  
  
Slytherins snickered at their archrival's misfortune and patted Draco on the back. Snape turned his gaze to Draco and the snickering stopped. "As for Mr. Malfoy," he started "I really am disappointed that you had to use your wand to do this. Surely a potion would have had a better effect? Don't let it happen again." With that he walked back up to his desk to begin his lesson.   
  
Okay, here's a new bit. Shock, horror, I know it's been forever. So sue me.   
  
So were has Tom been this entire time? And why does Draco suddenly seem to have developed bipolarism towards Ginny? I suppose you shall have to wait until next time I update. Don't worry, I shan't make you wait nearly as long this time... 


	5. Past Explained

It is always in the nature of humanity to fear what it doesn't know, and hate what it doesn't understand. It has turned good men with hearts of gold to vile creatures with maggot infested tumors where their hearts had once been. Such is the case of one, Colin Creevey.

The young lad had always been a sunny boy from the moment he came forth from his mother's womb. Growing up, adults would say he almost seemed to possess a ray of light around him that look as though it began with his golden mess of hair. His mother always told him he had the kindest eyes she had ever seen on a person.

Colin also grew up dreaming of the famous Harry Potter, the "Boy Who Lived". Late at night he would pull out scraps of saved newspaper and reread the articles that talked of his exploits as a babe. When he was ten he heard of Harry's adventures at Hogwarts and counted the days until he could meet the boy and mayhap join him on his noble quests. He made sure his camera was packed, even snuck it in when his mum had yanked it out of his trunk. His entire life's dream had been narrowed in, to be in the covetous circle of Harry's friends.

During the year, he followed Harry everywhere, snapping pictures of anything significant to Potter. He befriended Ron Weasely's younger sister Ginny, since she seemed to be able the fast track to Harry.

As in many examples before, when one puts another person on a pedestal so high that God might not reach it, the person will be sorely disappointed when their Adonis fails them. And as is does with all idolaters, Colin's time of hero worship came to a traumatic end. When he was petrified by the basilisk, all he could do was lay in his bed, and think over and over again how his hero would save him, that Harry would come sweeping into his room sword in hand and antidote in the other. Suffice to say, Colin's wish did not come to fruition. Oh yes, he was unpetrified, but by Madame Pomfrey with the Mandrake antidote. What he learned though, is what ended his world.

Harry had not gone slaying monsters for him. He had went into the depths of hell for Ginny. Ginny, who had known how much Colin obsessed about Harry. Ginny, who had pretended to need rescuing while he had suffered. He was well on the way towards blaming her for the entire fiasco, when the damning news started being whispered. Ginny was the cause of it all. She had him petrified so she could have Harry to herself!

Now an objective mind would rationalize that poor Ginny Weasley was just as much a victim the whole scheme of things as anyone else. In fact, Ginny might have been more of a victim than anyone else. Yet Colin Creevey was not in an objective frame of mind. And he sentenced poor Ginny to death in his mind. And it was hear that his golden heart lost its luster and started to fester. Colin spent the rest of the year whispering a slanted version of Ginny in the halls, turning her friends to enemies, and making her the object of fear and ridicule. It was her fault that Harry hadn't come for him. And he would make her pay, dearly.

And so began Colin Creevey's dark descent into the void humanity labels evil. A descent taken by others before him. Some manage to turn back as did a lad by the name of Tom Riddle. Others are too blinded to achieve this. But now, whenever Colin is at home, adults don't say he has a glow about him, and his mother does not tell him he has kind, warm eyes. For his eyes are cold and empty, and Colin does not understand.

Okay, I updated! I'd thought to scrap the story, but since I'm still receiving e-mails months later I decided to give in. Although one of the last reviewers scares me a bit. Anyway, here's a bit of history, so those of you who were wondering can have a bit of insight into Colin Creevey.


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